i LI BIiARY O F C MKESS. i 
\ — * 

^UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.* 



* 




PASTOR LOUIS HARMS. 



dfotetgn jg|wt0ft I 
Pastor LOUIS HARMS, 



CHUECH AT HERMANSBURG. 



REV. E. GREENWALD, D.D., 

Pastor of Christ Lutheran Church, Easton, Pa. 



08 . 

PHILADELPHIA: 

LUTHEKAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION, 

42 NORTH NINTH STREET. 

1807. 



35 Vz Si-o 

•«7 



This volume is electrotyped through the liberality of the 
children of the Sunday School of Christ's Church, Easton, 
Pa., Rev. E. Greenwald, D. D., Pastor, and thereby per- 
petuated. 



Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1867, by 

The Lutheran Publication Board. 

i the Clerk's Office of the District Court, for the Eastern District 

of Pennsylvania. 



Jas. B. Rodgers, 

Llectrotyper and Printer, 

Philadelphia. 



PREFACE. 

For the materials of this little volume, the author is 
mainly indebted to Mr. Stevenson's very interesting 
■work, entitled: "Working and Praying." That work 
should be widely circulated, and every where read. 
That God may employ this little book as a humble in- 
strument to awaken a deeper instrument in the minds 
of our church members in behalf of Foreign Missions, 
is the prayer of the writer. 

E. G. 
Easton, Pa., March 2,0th, 1867. 



THE 



FOREIGN MISSION WORK. 



"WHAT HATH GOD WROUGHT!"— Numbers xxiii : 23. 

The work of Missions is the work of God. 
Christ has commanded His church to preach 
the Gospel to every creature. His grace en- 
ables His church to do the work which His 
word commands. It is, therefore, His work. 

But God works by means. He uses hu- 
man hands to do His work. Human hands 
move, but it is God that moves them. In all 
that good men accomplish for the cause of 
Christ and the happiness of mankind, the 
hand of the Lord is to be recognized and 
traced. Men go forth to preach the Gospel 
to the heathen, but in them, and through them, 



b THE FOREIGN 

it is God that is working. In what they 
have done, we see what God hath wrought. 

It will throw light upon our duty, when we 
consider what God, by others, has done, and 
is doing. Many of us have no proper con- 
ception of the awakened interest that is felt 
by others, in all parts of the Church, in be- 
half of the evangelization of the world. 
When we notice the active movements of oth- 
ers, we become ourselves incited to activity. 
What God does by others, he may also do by 
us. 

It may serve to give our thoughts a whole- 
some direction, if we contemplate what one 
congregation of true-hearted men and women 
can do, and have done. We may learn what 
God hath wrought through human hands, by 
reading a narrative of what human hands 
have wrought by the help of God. 

Many of the readers of these pages have, 
no doubt, heard and read of Louis Harms, 



MISSION WORK. 7 

the Lutheran pastor of the town of Her- 
mansburg, Germany, whose loss by death the 
Church has recently been called to mourn. 
He was the beloved pastor of a plain, but 
pious congregation. The congregation was 
not always what it is now. Before his con- 
nection with it, it had little practical religious 
life. His success at reformation at home, is 
as marked as his wonderful missionary 
. achievements abroad, He was a Lutheran of 
the old sort, like those of the earlier days of 
our Church in Germany. He believed firmly 
the doctrines of Luther, and held tenaciously 
to the old forms and customs of the Church. 
He was plain and unassuming in his manners; 
a man of the people, with strong sympathies 
for the poor and outcast, and he lived among 
his people as a father. He was at the same 
time highly educated, refined in his inter- 
course with cultivated society, and very genial, 
and even jocund in his feelings. He was 



8 THE FOREIGN 

self-denying and whole-souled, with strong 
faith, and great activity in doing good. He 
was a godly and earnest man, and by his 
teachings, his influence, and his example, a 
wonderful improvement was effected in his 
congregation, of which he was the honored 
and useful pastor. Adhering most strictly 
to the venerable doctrines and usages of the 
church of his fathers, he was sound in doc- 
trine, churchly in practice, spiritual in feel- 
ing, and active in duty. There was a fresh- 
ness and vitality about all the services of the 
church as conducted by him ; and his mem- 
bers, coming up as one man, to the spirit and 
order which he introduced, the church at 
Hermansburg became a model of what every 
church ought to be. 

It is said, that, in every house family de- 
votions are regularly held, and that no one 
is ever absent from the stated services of the 
church, either on Sunday or on week-day, 



MISSION WORK. 9 

except when prevented by sickness. The 
Lord's Supper is administered once every 
month, and at each communion nearly all 
the members commune. Prayer is habit- 
ual, and is practised by the laborer at his 
work, a3 well as his family, and the "grand 
old hymns" are sung by old and young, 
instead of obscene ballads, so common else- 
where. The most wonderful harmony pre- 
vails among the people, who live together 
as one family, and the influence of their ex- 
ample has elevated, in a remarkable degree, 
the tone of morals in all the surrounding re- 
gion. Order and neatness are everywhere 
observed ; vice and dissipation seem banished 
from the community ; and whilst none are 
really wealthy, poverty is, likewise, the con- 
dition of none. Peace prevails almost uni- 
versally among them ; they take pleasure in 
rendering kindness to each other; and, 
though, for the most part, humble peasants, 



10 THE FOREIGN 

their circumstances are comfortable, and such 
as enable them to live well. 

Such is the plain and pious congregation 
of Pastor Harms, at Hermansburg. A peo- 
ple so fully imbued with the spirit of the 
Gospel, and of the Lutheran Church, would 
necessarily feel strongly the claims of the 
world in 'darkness and sin, outside of them. 
Christianity is an aggressive religion. It 
aims to bring all else under its influence, to 
war against error, falsehood, and sin, and to 
enlighten and convert the world. All who 
have truly imbibed its spirit, are missionaries 
of the cross. They labor to make accessions 
to Christ from far and near ; from those in 
heathen lands as well as from those at home. 
So the pious and single-hearted members of 
the Church at Hermansburg felt. When 
the proposition to start, and support, a mis- 
sion to the heathen, was made to them by 
their pastor, there were no hard words or 



MISSION WORK. 11 

cold looks, or severe criticism; they were 
not full of excuses that it would cost too much, 
that the heathen were too far away, that they 
had nothing to do with them, that whether 
saved or not was no concern of theirs, that 
it would be sending the money out of the 
country, that they had enough to do to con- 
vert the heathen at their own doors, and a 
thousand other like objections that are urged 
so readily by unwilling minds in other places. 
Instead of this, the suggestion was welcomed 
with joy, and adopted at once. And more 
than this. They did not look elsewhere, and 
ask, "Where shall we get the missionaries 
from other places? What other congrega- 
tion will furnish the men ?" But they asked, 
"Who from among ourselves will go? We 
will go ourselves — here we are, send us !" 
Strange as it may appear to our cold and un- 
believing hearts, twelve of the members of 
that Church offered themselves as missiona- 



12 THE FOREIGN 

ries to the heathen, to go where it would 
please God to show that there was the great- 
est need. They were accepted. But they 
were not sent without being first fully quali- 
fied for their great work. 

In order to afford all necessary facilities, 
a sort of Theological Seminary, or Mis- 
sionary Institute was established. A suita- 
ble house was prepared, and a brother of 
Pastor Harms was placed in charge of it. 
Being a Divine of high attainments and im- 
bued with an earnest missionary spirit, he 
was in all respects qualified for the responsi- 
ble position of Teacher of the Candidates for 
the Mission Work. The course of study laid 
down, was a four years term, and included a 
pretty thorough Theological education. The 
branches required to be studied, were : — In- 
troduction to the Old and New Testaments, 
Exegesis, Dogmatic Theology, Church His- 
tory, History of Doctrines, History of Mis- 



MISSION WORK. 13 

sions, Homiletics, and Cateclietics. It was 
plain to be seen that Pastor Harms did not 
intend to cend out ignorant men. They must 
be well equiped for their work. In addi- 
tion to their daily studies, they labored with 
their hands, to aid in earning their bread, to 
preserve vigorous health, to keep them hum- 
ble, and to induce them to feel that physical 
labor was no dishonor. They were reminded 
that, like Peter, whose circumstances com- 
pelled him to earn his subsistence by fishing, 
and like Paul, who was sometimes necessi- 
tated to follow tent-making, they must not 
be ashamed, if necessary, to labor for their 
support with their own hands. They were 
to be workers, in every sense. 

At the same time, they must not neglect 
the cultivation of the spirit of fervent devo- 
tion. The furnishing of the head would 
make them poor missionaries, if the piety of 
the heart was neglected. Therefore, habits 



14 THE FOREIGN 

of prayer were strictly enjoined, and sedu- 
lously fostered. They were men of strong faith, 
and ardent piety. Harms said to them, "Be 
diligent in your studies ; but also remember 
Luther's saying, "Well prayed, is more than 
half learned." " Therefore, pray diligently. 
I do not mean your common prayer only, 
when assembled for your daily prayers in the 
chapel, but pray diligently in your rooms, 
daily, for the Holy Spirit's help." Such 
men were most likely to become, of all 
others, the most laborious, self-denying, and 
successful missionaries of the cross. 

Now, the question came up, "Where shalt 
we go ? Among what heathen tribe shall we 
locate our mission?" After much thought 
and prayer, the East Coast of Africa was 
fixed upon as the region of country, and then 
the tribes of the Gallas, living North- west of 
the Zanzibar river, were selected, as the sub- 
jects for whose conversion to Christianity 



MISSION WORK. 15 

these Missionaries were to labor. They ap- 
parently selected the worst possible cases up- 
on which to operate. The Gallas tribes were 
fierce and savage, and spread terror along 
the whole East Coast. Hardy and strong, 
they robbed and murdered almost with im- 
punity. No Missionary ever attempted their 
conversion before. For these very reasons, 
these tribes of heathens were selected. 

Where is there another congregation of 
Christians that could educate, equip, and 
send out twelve of their own number, on 
such an errand ? Where, since the Church 
at Antioch sent out Barnabas and Paul as 
their Missionaries to the Jews and heathen 
of Asia Minor, do we find such a congrega- 
tion of faithful, prayerful, self-denying, and 
devoted men ? It seemed like a revival of 
primitive Christianity, and that apostolic 
times had returned again. 

On still further reflection, it was resolved, 



16 THE FOUEIGN 

that not only preachers and teachers, but also 
farmers, mechanics, and artisans, should be 
sent ; because the permanent success of the 
Mission required that the wild, roving, and 
indolent tribes of Africa, should be taught 
the industrious arts of civilized life. This 
reasoning was sound. The entire order of 
society must be reconstructed. Without this, 
no permanent benefit from the Mission could 
be hoped for. When the plan was suggested, 
sixty persons offered themselves for the self- 
sacrificing service. It was not deemed advis- 
able to send the entire number, and eight 
only out of the sixty were selected to accom- 
pany the others. 

But now a new, although not unforeseen, 
perplexity arose. How were all these people 
to be sent out ? Where was the money to 
come from ? Harms was a man of prayer, 
and this trouble, like all the others, only 
drove him the more fervently to the Throne 



MISSION WOKE. 17 

of Grace. But a praying man, as he him- 
self said, dare not sit with his hands in his 
lap, awaiting the blessing. He must work, 
as well as pray. He, therefore, applied to 
the owners and captains of vessels trading 
to the East Coast of Africa for a passage 
for his Missionaries to the scene of their ex- 
pected operations. But his application was 
not successful, as various difficulties inter- 
vened. He, also, corresponded with other 
Missionary Stations, in order to obtain in- 
formation and aid in getting his laborers to 
their new field, but to no purpose. His situ- 
ation was embarrassing enough. 

It was then suggested by a pious sailor, 
who designed accompanying the party, that 
they should build a ship, and own it, and 
thus be independent of all ship-owners, and 
be in a situation to send out as many people, 
.and sail as often as there was need. Pastor 
Harms acted at once on this suggestion. It, 



18 THE FOREIGN 

of course, increased, almost immeasurably, 
the magnitude and expense of the under- 
taking ; but his faith and energy were equal 
to the occasion. Few, however, encouraged 
him. Even his best friends hinted, that he 
was not quite in his senses. But feeling that 
he was right, he prayed and worked. The 
ship-building was commenced at Harburg. 
Pastor Harms prayed, held Missionary Festi- 
vals, the people gave cheerfully of their 
money, and were no poorer for all that, and, 
although the brig cost a great deal more 
than their first estimates, yet it was finished 
and paid for. His people were poor, but 
they had great faith ; their hearts were in the 
work, they co-operated kindly as one man ; 
and when there is a will, there is always a 
way. In due time the ship was completed, 
and named The Candace ; the name of the 
Queen of Ethiopia, whose eunuch Phillip 
baptized in the desert of Gaza. It was sol- 



MISSION WORK. 19 

cmnly dedicated by prayer and other reli- 
gious services to the sacred work of carrying 
the Gospel to the dark Ethiopian tribes of 
men. Everything was done to get it ready 
for its first voyage. The congregation felt 
that it was their ship, and smiths, and tailors, 
and carpenters, and shoemakers, and coopers, 
and upholsterers — all, male and female, old 
and young, parents and children, were alive 
with excitement, and active in fitting, and 
furnishing, and getting the vessel into trim 
for her benevolent Christian work. The 
farmers brought loads of provisions of all 
kinds for the use of the voyagers on their 
way to the Mission-field, and for their sup- 
port when there. The women and young 
girls of the congregation were active, day 
and night, in sewing, and knitting, and get- 
ting ready suitable clothes for the service of 
the Mission. All had their part to perform, 



20 THE FOREIGN 

and all labored with cheerfulness, for their 
hearts were in their work. 

The Missionaries, having completed their 
prescribed course of study, passed their ex- 
amination, and were regularly ordained. 
The number was only eight ; as of the origi- 
nal twelve two had died before the four years 
had expired, and two had proved unworthy, 
and were set aside. Besides these eight or- 
dained Missionaries, there were eight colo- 
nists. There were by profession two smiths, 
a tailor, a butcher, a dyer, and three farm 
laborers. The vessel was ready, the captain 
and crew were in their places, the provisions 
were on board, and the day had arrived when 
they were to embark. Before leaving Her- 
mansburg, a solemn farewell service was held 
in the Church. A scene of such interest, at- 
tracted, as may well be supposed, an immense 
congregation of people from far and near, 
that crowded the Church, and blocked up the 



MISSION WORK. 21 

doors and windows. A suitable sermon was 
preached by the younger Harms, who had 
been the instructor of the Missionaries, and 
then the eight ordained Missionaries, and the 
eight colonists, sixteen in all, came forward 
and stood before the altar. A solemn prayer 
was offered, commending them and their work 
to God, and invoking his gracious guidance 
and blessing, when the sixteen joined "with 
hearty, manly voices, in singing as their 
parting hymn, Luther's well-known hymn, 
il Uinfeste Burg ist unser G-ott." ("A safe 
strong hold our God is still ; Our shield and 
surest weapon.") "Leave-taking, like every- 
thing else in Hermansburg," says Dr. Ste- 
venson, "is peculiar. But it was a pious 
thought to part by singing such a song. 
There is no music so rousing and sublime as 
that master-piece of Luther, sung with the 
proper four parts, and at firm marching step. 
It is a very hero-psalm ; and there is some- 



22 THE FOREIGN 

thing noble in these humble men setting their 
faces towards the savages in Africa, and 
flinging back their lofty music out of brave, 
composed hearts." 

On the next day, they bade a final adieu 
to Hermansburg, and went to Hamburg, the 
sea-port city where their ship lay. It may 
well be supposed, that the people of that un- 
godly city, gazed in astonishment at the pro- 
cession of humble peasants, headed by their 
Pastor, as they passed along their streets in 
the direction of the harbor. The curious 
crowd followed them, and filled the wharves and 
vessels in the vicinity, where the Candace 
lay at anchor. On the quarter deck a table 
was set, and the pious Pastor held a final re- 
ligious service, and uttered his parting ad- 
monitions to his devoted Missionary company. 
It was a solemn moment, both for him and 
for them. His earnest words sunk deep into 
their hearts. He particularly insisted upon 



MISSION WORK. 23 

the cultivation by them, of the spirit of 
prayer. " Begin all your work," said he, 
"with prayer. And when the storm-wind 
rises, pray ; and when the billows roll around 
the ship, pray ; and when sin comes, pray ; 
and when the devil tempts you, pray. So 
long as you pray, all, pertaining to body and 
soul, will go well with you." On the 28th 
of October, 1853, the anchor was raised, 
and the Missionary ship embarked on her 
voyage of love and mercy to the heathen 
world. 

We stand on the shore, and gaze after her 
with feelings of admiration, as we call to 
mind that a congregation of plain and poor 
people, were enabled, by the grace of God, 
to entertain such enlarged views of duty, 
and carry them out so promptly. And, since 
such a noble Missionary spirit is so rare in 
the Churches, the example of Pastor Harms' 
congregation, at Hermansburg, is everywhere 



24 THE FOREIGN 

cited and lauded, by writers and speakers, 
throughout the entire Christian world. And 
well they may be. Their example, too, has 
excited, far and wide, a largely increased 
missionary spirit, and a much more compre- 
hensive view of personal and congregational 
duty, than existed before. 

Let us now follow the good ship Candace, 
on her sacred errand. During the voyage, 
the missionaries kept up regular religious 
services, and prosecuted their studies. As 
all on board, including passengers and crew, 
were men of high religious principle, and 
devout Christian spirit, the Candace resem- 
bled a church afloat on the ocean. After a 
voyage of several months in duration, they 
reached the East coast of Africa in safety. 
But here their real difficulties commenced. 
The Mohammedans had control of the coast, 
and on various pretexts would not permit 
them to go to the Gallas, who were an inte- 



MISSION WORK. t 25 

rior tribe, nor even to disembark on the 
main land. After some vexatious delay, and 
many attempts at negotiation, they were 
compelled to set sail from the vicinity of 
Zanzibar, and coast far to the south, to Fort 
Natal. Here, too, embarrassments were 
thrown in their way, and the English 
Governor refused them permission to settl 
on Government land. They were, therefore, 
compelled to purchase ground for a colony. 
This they did, and secured a good position 
for their settlement. They paid three thou- 
sand dollars for six thousand acres of land. 
It is watered by a river which flows through 
it; the soil is fertile; lime, coal, and stone 
exist in sufficient quantities; but it is nearly 
destitute of timber. Being within English 
jurisdiction, they enjoy English protection. 
Though not on the coast, they are not in- 
conveniently far from the ocean. Many 
tribes of Africans are near. The Zulu Kaf- 



26 THE FOREIGN 

firs, the Zulus, under the chieftainship of 
Umpanda, the Matahela, the Bechuanas, and 
even the distant Gallas, are all accessible 
from the colony. There was, therefore, • 
heathen material enough around them, on 
which to commence missionary operations. 

They at once commenced to build, and in 
a short time, they had a little settlement 
erected, which they called- New Hermans- 
burg. They also applied themselves dili- 
gently to the study of the language, so as to 
be able, as soon as possible, to preach, and 
teach the heathen tribes among whom they 
were located, in the native tongue. When 
this knowledge was acquired, they entered 
with indefatigable zeal, and self-denying 
diligence upon their proper missionary work r 
which they have prosecuted in the same 
•spirit, and with remarkable success, up to 
the present time. 

It would be exceedingly interesting to 



MISSION WORK. 27 

enter into details regarding their labors; 
but the space, to which we have limited our- 
selves, forbids. They prayed, and taught, 
and preached, and made explorations far 
and near, and gradually gained influence and 
power with the native tribes. They, too, 
taught the people the arts of civilized life, 
and inculcated, by precept and example, 
habits of industry, cleanliness, and order. 
Soon, their operations had extended so much, 
that reinforcements were needed. The good 
ship, Candace, had been dispatched home, 
and in 1856, fifteen more persons were sent 
out, and among them four brides for as 
many of the missionaries in Africa. In 
1857, twelve more missionaries, together 
with fourteen colonists, and their wives and 
children, forty-four persons in all, went out, 
whose several callings were tailors, weavers, 
ropemakcrs, a saddler, turner, joiner, carpen- 
ter, wheelwright, smith, shepherd, and sailor. 



28 THE FOREIGN 

All these were necessary to give their labors 
a firm and permanent character, and im- 
prove the condition of the natives temporally, 
as well as spiritually. So widely had the 
knowledge and renown of the wonderful Mis- 
sion-work of this devoted congregation ex- 
tended, that when these twelve missionaries 
were ordained, the King and Queen of 
Hanover, and their children, honored the 
occasion by their presence ; the ministers of 
the city where it occurred, all assisted ; and 
the next day they were sent for to the palace, 
where the King expressed the deepest in- 
terest in their work, and encouraged them 
by giving them the assurance that they would 
be remembered by himself and family in their 
daily prayers. 

It is a remarkable fact, that, while these 
last missionaries were on board the Candace, 
and before they had left the shores of Ger- 
many, twenty-one more young men had offer- 



MISSION WOKE. 29 

ed their services as missionaries, and had 
entered the Mission-Seminary to be educated 
for their work. In 1859, a fourth voyage, 
with reinforcements, was made to the coast 
of Africa. In the autumn of 1860, the ship 
was sent on her fifth voyage with additional 
laborers; and in 1861, twenty-two more 
missionaries were sent out. And so, almost 
every year since, this ship, built, and owned, 
and employed, by that devoted band of 
Christians, bearing our own name, has been 
regularly plying as a missionary ship between 
Germany and the heathen tribes of Africa, 
carrying to them reinforcements, and all the 
necessary material to enable them success- 
fully to carry on their good work. It is now 
little more than ten years since those devoted 
men first entered upon their holy work, and 
the result is wonderful. They have, per- 
haps, a dozen stations where they carry on 
their missionary operations. At each sta- 



30 THE FOREIGN 

tion they have dwelling-houses work-shops, 
farms, gardens, schools and churches. More 
than a hundred missionaries that preach and 
teach, are in the field, and still more me- 
chanics and farmers, who keep up the settle- 
ments, and exert a most powerful influence 
in training the wild, roving tribes to habits 
of industry and social order. Perhaps 
several hundred heathen have been baptized 
and added to the churches — the precise 
number we are unable to give — and their 
influence extends from the Zulus, on the 
coast, to the Bechuanas, in the centre of 
Africa — or over a territory of more than ten 
degrees of latitude. The number of con- 
verts from among the heathen is larger, for 
the time employed, than at any other mis- 
sion, located anywhere among the heathen, 
and the preparatory work which they have 
performed, has laid the foundation for much 
greater, and more rapid, and largely aug- 



MISSION WORK. 31 

merited, beneficial results in the future. In- 
deed, up to this date, their whole work may 
be regarded as preparatory, and as only 
laying, deep and broad, the foundation, and 
acquiring vantage ground for future success. 
That which is especially deserving our at- 
tention in it, is not so much what it has al- 
ready accomplished — although that is really 
wonderful — but it is the origin, the mode, 
the spirit of the mission, and the plain and 
poor men by whom it has been commenced 
and carried on, that distinguish it above all 
others. Its success is undoubted and mar- 
vellous. Its teachers are scattered over an 
immense territory, and among the largest 
and most important African tribes. They 
occupy, not an inferior, but the highest, po- 
sition; they have free access everywhere; 
and they are everywhere respected and suc- 
cessful. No other mission has more impor- 
tant openings; invitations to visit other 



32 THE FOREIGN 

tribes and other localities are constantly re- 
ceived, which thej are compelled to decline, 
and everywhere they are welcomed and re- 
ceived with gladness. Hundreds of precious 
souls are already gathered into the Christian 
Church, and have been brought to the know- 
ledge of the way of salvation. In many lo- 
calities, where formerly heathen rites were 
performed, there are now plain Christian 
Churches, where multitudes gather to wor- 
ship God, and hear His word, and learn the 
duties of piety and virtue. It is a great 
success. Its success in the future will be 
greater still. 

But now, it is time to ask the question, 
Where did, and does, the money come from, 
that pays for all this ? Pastor Harm's expen- 
ditures are necessarily large. The building 
and furnishing of his ship cost about $22,000. 
The land in Africa cost more than $3000. 
The support of the mission required in one 



MISSION WORK. 33 

year $8000, and in another $24,000. The 
expenses of his Mission-seminary, and other 
benevolent operations at home, are not less 
than $7000 annually. Indeed, from 1854 to 
1859 he expended in his noble work the large 
sum of $140,000. How was this amount of 
money collected ? His people are necessarily 
very liberal. Though not suffering from 
poverty, they are nevertheless not rich. They 
are not gentlemen with fine estates, but most- 
ly peasants, who earn their bread by daily 
toil. But they are wonderfully imbued with 
the Spirit of Christ, and are, therefore, extra- 
ordinarily large-hearted and liberal in giving. 
Poor men have come forward, and at one 
donation put $G00 into his hands. They 
willingly deprive themselves of luxuries, and 
sometimes even of the necessaries of life, in 
order to have money to contribute to the 
good work. We have no proper conception 
of the liberality of thc.se people, or of the 



34 THE FOREIGN 

ready and cheerful spirit with which they lay 
their money as an offering on God's altar. 
They shame our cold-heartedness out of all 
countenance. 

But what is most wonderful in all this, 
Pastor Harms does neither force, nor com- 
pel, nor even urge them to give. He has no 
agents in the field importuning the people 
for money. He does not in any way beg for 
funds. He never uses this word, and will 
have no begging or beggars of any kind about 
him, except those who beg of God. In the 
columns of his monthly missionary paper 
money matters and money perplexities are 
kept in the background altogether, and are 
rarely, if ever, mentioned. When, at his 
great annual missionary festivals, the people 
come by thousands, and would, and do, cheer- 
fully give large sums, he makes no appeal, 
and does not even mention that he has need 
of money, or expects them to contribute any. 



MISSION WORK. 35 

His conduct would be pronounced by us as 
most singular in this respect. He makes no 
effort to move their hearts. He leaves their 
hearts to be moved by a greater than himself. 
What, then, is his resource ? It is prayer. 
He has made the wonderful discovery, that 
God has the hearts and the purses of men in 
His hand, and can move and open them at 
pleasure. He, therefore, tells his wants to 
God, and asks Him to provide the means to 
relieve them. And what may seem, to our 
unbelieving hearts, not only singular, but 
even absurd, he has found this resource al- 
ways sufficient. It has never failed him. 
The prayer of faith has always been heard 
and answered. It seems wonderful. From 
far and near donations come, in answer to 
prayer. They are sent across continents, 
and over the ocean, by persons, whom he 
never saw, nor heard of. Let us cite a few 



36 THE FOREIGN 

examples from some statements published in 
his monthly "Missions Blatt." 

"A short time ago," he writes, "I had to 
pay a merchant in behalf of the missions five 
hundred and fifty crowns, and when the day 
was near I had only four hundred. Then I 
prayed to the Lord Jesus, that He would pro- 
vide me with the deficiency. On the day 
before, three letters were brought, one from 
Schwerin with twenty, one from Biicksburg 
with twenty-five, and one from Berlin with 
one hundred crowns. The donors were anon- 
ymous. On the evening of the same day, 
a laborer brought me ten crowns, so that I 
had not only enough, but five over." In 
another statement he says: "I must tell you 
what brought tears into my eyes, and con- 
firmed me anew in that word, < Before they 
call I will answer.' A medicine chest was 
urgently wanted for the Mission. I reckoned 
up to see if there was enough left to supply 



MISSION WORK. 37 

it. Before I had finished, and when I had 
not yet well begun to commend this matter 
to the Lord, a letter was brought, in which 
the anonymous writer stated that for some 
time he had been collecting for the mission, 
and had determined to purchase a medicine 
chest. The chest accompanied the letter; 
he only begged it might soon be sent out for 
the heathen." At one time, when he was 
revolving in his mind the erection of a House 
of Refuge for discharged convicts, in which 
to prepare them to become useful members 
of society, the great obstacle was the want 
of money. For some days it was thought 
of, and prayed over. Going out, after having 
been more than ordinarily solemn in his de- 
votions, he met one of the peasants of his 
congregation, who approached, and inquired 
in what way he could render him any assist- 
ance in his benevolent work. "I took it," 
says he, "asa sign from the Lord, and men- 



38 THE FOREIGN 

tioned to him what was in my heart. He 
sent me, through his wife, who was of one 
mind with him, five hundred crowns. Im- 
mediately afterward a merchant sent me ten, 
a pastor one hundred, and then came anony- 
mously one hundred crowns. Meanwhile I 
had not made my intention known." God 
answered his prayers, and sent him the means 
to carry on his good work, through men who 
knew nothing of the special object for which 
the money was wanted. In the year 1858, 
when reviewing his affairs, he wrote: "Last 
year, I needed for the mission fifteen thou- 
sand crowns, and the Lord gave me that, and 
sixty over. This year I needed double, and 
the Lord has given me double, and one hun- 
dred and forty over." 

These quotations afford a clue to the way 
in which his mission is supported. He does 
not beg, nor urge, nor threaten; he only 
prays, and works, and the hearts of the people, 



MISSION WORK. 39 

opened by the Lord, and made full of love 
to Him and His cause, respond. He can 
say, and has always said, "See, what hath 
God wrought!'' 

Now, what are some of the lessons which 
this history of the mission work of Pastor 
Louis Harms, and the Church at Hermans- 
burg, teaches us? 

1. God ivories He has the hearts of the 
people in His hand. Whatever is done for 
good on the earth, is done by Him. He 
works by means of human hearts and hands. 
What men do in His name, is done by Him. 
Men are the instruments, the agent is God. 
Never is the glory ours, but always God's. 
It is God's work, and He does it. In look- 
ing over the great and wonderful result, as 
well as the method, of the Mission work of 
the church at Ilermansburg, we can do no 
otherwise than say, in devout and humble 



40 TITE FOREIGN 

acknowledgment of God's power and good- 
ness, "See, what hath God wrought!" 

2. Men offer themselves unto the Lord. 
The church at Hermansburg did not look 
for others to go and preach the Gospel to the 
heathen, whilst they staid at home. But they 
went themselves. Each one felt his indivi- 
dual obligation to obey Christ's command, 
"Go, preach the Gospel to every creature." 
Men are prone to shift responsibility upon 
others. They are willing that others should 
do the work that they themselves should do. 
Others may be missionaries to the heathen, 
but they themselves will not go. Other con- 
gregations may furnish men to plant the 
standard of the cross in the remote regions 
of the earth, but they are content that their 
own congregation should furnish none. They 
seem to view Christ's parting command to 
" Go and teach all nations," as meaning every 
one in general, but no one in particular. 



MISSION WORK. 41 

But the church at Herraansburg made a per- 
sonal application of that command to them- 
selves. The Gospel must be preached, and 
they must preach it. That church must do 
it. Its members must go. Each individual 
was ready to go. Each one seemed to say, 
"Here am I, send me." Oh, that this spirit 
of self-devotion, and this acknowledgment of 
personal responsibility, were more common 
in the Church ! How soon, then, would our 
missions be crowded with laborers, and how 
rapidly would the ark of salvation be borne 
over the earth! 

3. It is not the wealthy, but the willing, 
that accomplish most for God. Most persons, 
in view of such a mission work as that which 
we have been contemplating, would deem, at 
the outset, that a large amount of wealth was 
indispensable on the part of those who would 
undertake it. But here it is most success- 
fully undertaken, where not a single indivi- 



42 THE FOREIGN 

dual of the whole number has any wealth at 
all. It is not wealth, so much as the will, 
that executes great things. If a wealthy 
man is also a willing man, he can do a vast 
work ; but, if a wealthy man has not the will 
to do it, he is as inefficient as the poorest of 
men. On the other hand, if willing men 
have not wealth, their will is in stead of 
wealth ; and such men, though of small means, 
do an amount of good work, at which we 
gaze with gratified amazement. It is the 
will that executes great undertakings. If 
the heart is wrong, or not right, all the wealth 
of the Indies will be of no benefit to the 
cause of Christianity. Give us willing minds. 
Give us men whose hearts are in the right 
place. " Where there's a will, there's a way." 
4. A single congregation can sustain an 
entire mission. There is no grander specta- 
cle in the history of the whole Church, than 
this noble work of that one congregation of 



MISSION WORK. 43 

plain peasant Lutherans at Hermansburg. 
One congregation, single-handed, organize 
and support a mission thousands of miles 
away from home, consisting of more than a 
hundred missionaries, and an equal number 
of mechanics and farmers sent to constitute 
a Christian settlement. It is almost incredi- 
ble. Judging by the unwillingness and want 
of large liberality displayed on such subjects 
everywhere about us, we would almost re- 
fuse to believe the accounts, if the facts were 
not so well supported. This one congrega- 
tion of Lutherans at Hermanslurg does more 
for Foreign 3fi$sio?is, single-handed, than is 
done by the whole Lutheran Church in the 
United States, coiisisting of forty -one Synods, 
one thousand six hundred and fifty ministers, 
three thousand congregations, and more than ^ 
three hundred thousand communicants. 

With all the combined force of the church 
in the United States, our Foreign Missionary 



44 THE FOREIGN 

Society has, at this present writing, one mis- 
sionary and his wife in India, and one mis- 
sionary and his wife in Africa; and when 
this is told, all is told. This may he regarded 
as a very humiliating statement, but it is the 
truth, and the truth ought to be known. We 
do not come up to our responsibilities. We 
are not doing our whole duty. We are not 
lacking in opportunity, but we are greatly 
lacking in the measure of our performances. 
We must acquire a much more thorough 
missionary spirit. Let the example of our 
brethren of Hermansburg incite us to go and 
do likewise. Let each pastor and congrega- 
tion come up to the true measure of duty in 
reference to the evangelization of the world. 
The world must be evangelized, and the 
church must do it. Each congregation, as 
constituting a part of the whole church, is 
responsible for the doing of this great work. 
Every Christian congregation should have 



MISSION WORK. 45 

one, or many, representatives personally in 
the field of missionary labor. The laborers 
must be there, and must go from some con- 
gregation; why not from this? Why not 
from that ? Why not from all ? Why should 
one congregation send a messenger of good 
tidings to the heathen, and others not do the 
same? Is that congregation of Christians 
faithful to their solemn trust, to the love they 
owe to Christ, and to the affection they 
should bear to the souls for whom He died, 
from among whom no herald has gone forth, 
carrying light and salvation to enlighten and 
save the world as it lies in darkness and 
death? Shall not our pastors and congre- 
gations — our students and young members — 
ask as before God, to whom in the great day 
they must give an account for all that they 
have done, or refused to do, in the way of 
duty: Why am not I a missionary in the 
foreign field, and why is there none from the 



4<) . THE FOREIGN 

congregation with which I am connected, 
preaching Christ and Him crucified among 
the heathen tribes of men ? Is it not time 
that this shrinking from duty — this shift- 
ing responsibility from ourselves to others, 
should have an end ? And shall not all our 
churches do all in their power, and much 
more than they have done heretofore, by 
their liberal contributions, their fervent 
prayers, and their whole-hearted approval, 
to support those who do go, to extend our 
mission fields, to increase our missionary 
force, to multiply our mission schools, and in 
all respects, to make our mission work more 
efficient and successful! A new era must 
dawn upon our mission work. All must 
work, and work together. Where one now 
goes forth in sad loneliness, almost in the 
feeling with which a martyr goes to the stake, 
there must be scores and hundreds marching 
forth, like the missionaries from Hermans- 



MISSION WORK. 47 

burg, with music and song, animating and 
being animated, glad to be God's chosen 
heralds to announce a Saviour to a perishing 
world. 

5. The missionary spirit is the outgroivth 
of a truly believing and devotional spirit. — 
This is the grand secret of the mission work 
inaugurated and carried on by the church at 
Ilermansburg. It is the outgrowth of faith 
and prayer. Their faith, works, and their 
prayers are followed by deeds. They have 
strong faith, and this leads to great works. 
They have much love for Christ, and because 
they love Him, they would honor Him by 
spreading His glory over the earth. They 
love the souls of men, because Christ died for 
them. The flame of devotion, in their hearts, 
kindles therein zeal in behalf of the souls that 
are perishing. Their missionary spirit is not 
fanaticism, nor mere enthusiasm ; but strong 
religious principle. There is no fanaticism 



48 THE FOREIGN 

about them. They are profoundly religious; 
are sincerely devout ; are strongly attached 
to the doctrines and usages of the church; 
are Lutherans of the old order; are plain, 
practical Christians. They have enlarged 
views of their duty, and are liberal in giving 
their money, and devoting their personal ser- 
vices for the honor of Christ, and the good 
of souls. Their large hearts devise large 
things. They do not prefer their ease to the 
glory of the Lord, nor love their money more 
than the word of Jesus. As they are, so 
should all Christians be. They are models 
for us. Their piety should set us to earnest 
self-examination, and awake the candid in- 
quiry, whether in the presence of such great 
faith, and fervent prayer, and active benevo- 
lence, we are Christians at all? Have we 
any faith? Do we really love the Lord? 
Have we actually done any thing to prove 
that we are imbued with the spirit of our 



MISSION WORK. 49 

Master ? If we feel so little interest in the 
progress of Christ's cause, and do so little to 
promote it, have we any title at all to be con- 
sidered His followers ? If we have so little 
love for the souls for whom Jesus shed His 
blood, do we really love Him ? If Christ is 
to be honored by the spread of His name to 
the uttermost ends of the earth, do we love 
His name if we feel small concern, and will 
do little or nothing that His name may be 
thus honored? Will we be saved at all our- 
selves, if we are unwilling to contribute to 
the salvation of others? 

The work of missions must go on. It dare 
not stop. It is the only method known, or 
that can be devised, to accomplish the result 
desired. The whole world must be evan- 
gelized, and the only agency to do it, is the 
Bible, with the living preacher, sent forth 
and sustained by the church. It is a noble 
work. It is the peaceful messenger bearing 



50 THE FOREIGN 

with him light, civilization, Christianity, and 
everlasting salvation, to the benighted, de- 
graded, barbarous, and lost tribes of men. 
What a blessed work ! What a privilege is 
it to help on, and contribute in any degree to 
the progress and accomplishment of such a 
work ! Are there not many among us who 
will go forth, like the noble Hermansburgers, 
and devote their lives cheerfully to the great 
and apostolic work of preaching the Gospel 
to the destitute? And will not the rich give 
of their wealth, and the poor of their pittance, 
so that the funds cast into the Lord's treasury 
for the Lord's work, shall reach a magnitude 
which it has never attained before? 

Dear Reader! The Lord is working, and 
will work without us ; but it is of the highest 
importance to us that He should work by us. 
It will, and must be said at the consumma- 
tion of all things, "See, ivliat hath God 
wrought!" But blessed will we be if ours 



MISSION WORK. 51 

were the hearts and hands through which He 
hath wrought. Sad will it be for us, if He 
hath wrought with other hands, but not with 
ours. Shall we not offer our hearts and 
hands, and say, "Lord, our hearts are Thine, 
rule them; our hands are Thine, use them; 
our substance is Thine, employ it; our lives 
are Thine, serve Thyself with them according 
to Thy good pleasure?" 



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